I have to admit it. On the way to the Coronet in Elephant and Castle to see a man don a horse's head in order to perform some kind of shamanic ritual, I thought that perhaps I made a bit of an error. Especially after having just been offered free supper and all the booze I could stomach at the super-opulent Kensington Roof Gardens. But such is my commitment to the cause. Anyway, it turns out I totally made the right decision. Free dinners are two-a-penny; this – A Ritual for Elephant and Castle – was unique, and quite brilliant.
The whole idea behind the event came out of a collaboration between contemporary performance artist Marcus Coates, folk two-piece Wildbirds and Peacedrums and bizarre music collective Chrome Hoof. A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Michael Smythe from art organisation Nomad who originated the project and Marcus himself – if you want a bit more background information about the whole event, why not read it? It's interesting!
By the time we arrive at the Coronet in darkest Elephant, Wildbirds and Peacedrums have already begun. Instead of utilising the stage, they have formed a circle in the middle of the venue. Twenty drummers beat out a relentless rhythm as vocalist Mariam Wallentin goes beautifully berserk. I can see why they've elected to perform where they do – for those in the immediate vicinity it's an intense experience. But for everyone else, it's kind of impossible to see anything, and one feels a little excluded. 
Chrome Hoof
photo by Steve Bliss
But as soon as Chrome Hoof take to the stage, any sense of exclusion evaporates in an instant. What to say about Chrome Hoof? Clad all in silver, they're like some uber-bizarre robotic gang – as if your tin-foil wrapped packed lunch had suddenly come to life, or if all the baddies from Doctor Who had got together for a bit of a jam. Mixing funk, metal, electro stabs and blasts of brutal noise, Chrome Hoof are almost a mess. But the band are so tight, and the pounding rhythms – simultaneously shifting and inexorable – ensure that this never seems indulgent.
As the frantic noises ebb towards quiet, Coates emerges on stage, sporting an enormous horse's head. His is an imposing presence, but also silly – part Nick Bottom, part Hellfire Club. He moans and shrieks and totters about, as his performance escalates in intensity. The crowd, initially a little confused, are largely won over. With no other band could this kind of thing work, but watching Chrome Hoof you're prepared to expect anything.
The emergence of a twelve-foot tall silver-clad robot devil marks the climax of this bizarre but utterly enthralling cyber-pagan ritual. Coates had previously talked about taking the audience on a journey – no journey could have been stranger or more fantastically thrilling.
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